High speed bag filling machine

Abstract

A high speed bag filling machine utilizing a tiltable spout for attaching a bag in a tilted position and reversing the tilting motor to move the spout and bag over a conveyor. A vertically movable transfer carriage comprises a front forming bar and a pair of horizontally rotatable rotor arms. The bar and rotors clamp the filled bag, lower it to a conveyor, and discharge it. The forming bar then swings forward and upward to clear the rotor arms, which rotate forwardly beneath it to permit the next bag to enter the clamping area. The forming bar then swings down to engage the front face of the bag and the rotor arms continue their rotation to engage the rear face of the bag. The forming bar and rotor arms may include endless belts driven to discharge the bag.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A high speed bag filling machine, comprising: a frame assembly;   a bag filling spout for filling a bag with particulate material, said spout attached to said frame assembly and connected to product supply means, said spout being tiltable between a first position and a second position;   means for introducing and attaching a bag to the spout in said first position;   means for supporting said bag on said spout;   means for opening and closing said spout for introducing a quantity of said material into said bag;   means for moving said spout between said first and second positions;   a conveyor assembly located generally beneath the second position of said spout for transporting the filled bag from said filling machine;   a transfer carriage pivotably attached to the frame assembly for reversible vertical movement, said transfer carriage comprising: a generally horizontal elongate bag forming bar having a rear elongate surface positioned to intercept an upper portion of a first face of the bag when said spout is in said second position, said bag forming bar being pivotable between a bag holding position and a forwardly and upwardly pivoted retracted position, whereby said bag forming bar is pivoted about a horizontal axis upwardly displaced from and generally parallel to the bag forming bar;     a first generally horizontal rotor arm rotatable about a vertical axis at a proximate end thereof, said first rotor arm having a distal end and a first elongate surface positioned between said proximate end and said distal end of said first rotor arm to engage a first upper portion of a second face of the bag;   a second generally horizontal rotor arm rotatable about a vertical axis at a proximate end thereof, said second rotor arm having a distal end and a second elongate surface positioned between said proximate and said distal end of said second rotor arm to engage a second upper portion of the second face of the bag, said distal ends of said first and second rotor arms being proximate each other, whereby a bag may be engaged by and clamped between the first elongate surface and the second and third elongate surfaces;   means for rotating said rotor arms to a position whereby a loaded bag may be passed therebetween; and   means for further rotating said rotor arms for engagement of the first and second elongate surfaces with the second face of the bag to clamp said bag against said rear elongate surfaces.   
     
     
       2. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second rotor arms is rotated unidirectionally from a bag engaging position to pass under the upwardly pivoted bag forming bar to a holding position outside of the bag path, and then to further rotate to engage the other face of the bag. 
     
     
       3. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 2, further comprising a latch connected to said bag forming bar for catching and holding said first and second rotor arms in said holding position while the bag forming bar is retracted. 
     
     
       4. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said rotor arms comprise airmotors. 
     
     
       5. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, whereby said product supply means comprises a hopper connected to said spout and tiltable about a horizontal axis to move said spout between said first and second positions. 
     
     
       6. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, wherein said first elongate surface is fixed relative said bag forming bar. 
     
     
       7. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, wherein each said second and third elongate surface is fixed relative the rotor arm to which it is attached. 
     
     
       8. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, further comprising a lock for holding each said rotor arm against the other face of the bag. 
     
     
       9. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 1, wherein each said first, second and third elongate surface comprise first, second and third endless movable resilient belts. 
     
     
       10. The high speed bag filling machine of claim 9, wherein all of said first, second and third endless movable resilient belts are moved by a single motor acting through two sets of spur gears.